


Change

by ferrous



Category: RWBY
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-07-26
Packaged: 2018-07-26 20:32:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7589044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ferrous/pseuds/ferrous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fantasy AU that combines the culture of a medieval world and the technological advancements of the modern world. Team RWBY meets through certain circumstances but nonetheless, grow into a formidable force to defeat their foes. The author does not own any content except that which she has written herself. Rated T for "too lazy to write lemons for now".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The land was peaceful. Two kingdoms coexisted side by side on the same continent led respectively by the Schnee and the Rose families. These two families, although at one point in the past were enemies, were allies in both treaties and in practice. Although they differed in their domestic policies, the Schnees and the Roses always invited each other to important royal events. It didn't seem like things would change anytime soon.

The northern part of the continent, Atlas, was ruled by the Schnees, who were supported by various nobles. They were regarded throughout the world for their technological and scientific advancements, which greatly improved the standard of living in their country. The climate, perpetually cold, made it hard for crops to grow. Rain and snow, even towards the marginally warmer south, constantly battered the buildings of the Atlasian population. However, they were a hardy people. Surrounded by mountains and closed off from the world, the Schnees exploited the rich natural resources to construct paved roads, flood-free subways, and even lamps to light the cities at night. They mined Dust, a material with properties yet undiscovered. It powered Altas' homes, offices, and streets, but only the powerful rulers of the country had all its secrets. Unfortunately, Altas relied heavily on trade with their neighbor, lacking the food supply to sustain the population in such a harsh land.

Most of the common folk had not even seen the royal family. Only the highest ranking of nobles, and ironically enough, the servants of the castle, would ever be in the presence of such magnanimous people. They were not the rulers of the nation for no reason. Those of the true Schnee bloodline were marked by snow-white hair and icy blue eyes. They were slaves to logic, ever toiling for the economic prosperity and the security of the nation. In spite of their self-imposed isolation, the Schnees took combat seriously, dedicating themselves to the intricacies and practicalities of Dust's volatile properties. They were bent on being the most knowledgeable in the world.

But despite being progressive in terms of knowledge, the Atlasians, prideful and eloquent in speech and actions, were extremely traditional and stubborn. Change was rarely achieved without drastic measures. Part man and part beast, the Faunus, who in times long past served as slaves for the rich, had fought for and received freedom. But they had not won against discrimination. Most Faunus worked in low-level jobs and lived in the poorer parts of the cities. Rumors of a radical Faunus group, the White Fang, sprung up everywhere, and almost every young Faunus joined in secret, hoping to achieve an equal status to that of the normal citizens. In particular, a certain cat Faunus was born into the society and raised as a model for other young White Fang. Change would soon come, unbeknownst to the generations of cold Schnees who sat in their white towers near the south of Atlas.

Just across the mountains beyond the Schnee castle was a more fruitful, warm country. Vale was almost the complete opposite of Atlas. Although Valens did not have the resources to invest in technological advancements, the rich soils and luscious forests were perfect farmland for a variety of crops. The citizens of Vale were brought up to be simple, hearty, and welcoming of others. In return for a portion of the year's harvest, Atlas shared some of their technology. Neither held any animosities for battles of the past but instead worked together whenever possible. With the invention of the bullheads, the mountains were easily traversed, allowing the two countries to mingle.

The Roses were not as isolated as the Schnees. Although they lived in comfort, each Rose was a trained fighter, honing their skills in forestry and bushcraft through hunting the occasional Grimm on the outskirts of the country. Although they may have been the royal family, the Roses often toured cities, meeting important officials and getting to know their most important allies: the people. In time, the Roses were respected throughout their country as fair and virtuous rulers, constantly putting themselves second for the needs of the common Valen.

The White Fang could not establish a foothold in Vale. Faunus reached every tier of the social hierarchy; Faunus nobility was an excellent example of Valen acceptance and progressiveness. In addition to the nonexistence of discrimination in Vale, each citizen was guaranteed certain rights, from the freedom of speech to the right to marry whomever one wished.

But even the most prosperous country could not be perfect. Vale had a Grimm problem. There were no small villages or undefended cities because the Grimm would demolish such an establishment almost overnight. Thankfully the patrols had reduced the number of Grimm significantly, and those creatures of darkness kept to the southernmost part of Vale, which nobody inhabited. The seas were too rough and the land too rocky and full of caves. They were the source of legends, but even the bravest would never venture in.

For all the efforts of their rulers, Atlas and Vale would soon be drastically changed by a force out of the worst nightmares.

 

**Hello, Readers! This is the beginning, where I've introduced the world the RWBY characters are living in. This is, I suppose, a fantasy AU that combines elements of Remnant, the medieval world, and the modern world. I guess I was slightly inspired by momoxtoshiro's fics. If you don't know who that is, do read her fics. They are amazing and she's written a lot more than I have. Anyways, we'll see how this goes. -Ferr**


	2. Chapter 2

Summer was here, and to Yang Xiao Long, that meant hunting. She swept her blonde mane over a shoulder and inspected all her gear. Leather? Check. Boots? Check. Claymore? Check. Shotgun gauntlets disguised as bracelets? Check. Although now that she thought about it, she only had the claymore in case she was out of rounds or was fighting in a war, which was pretty rare, because nowadays wars were nonexistent after Atlas and Vale signed the treaty. Recently she only used it on dress occasions like for marriages of high nobles. She preferred doing things the hard and dirty way, but sometimes more elegance was called for. Yang sighed. The only thing missing was her younger half-sister Ruby. As usual. Yang made sure nothing else was out of place and strolled leisurely out of her room into the bright summer sun to meet her employer.

Both Yang and Ruby lived at the Rose Palace in northern Vale. Yang served as a lady-in-waiting to the current monarch of the country, although her flamboyant personality and unsubdued nature meant that the title was for show. There were plenty of other servants ready to attend to the queen's every need, which essentially left Yang with a lot of time on her hands. Hoping to be useful to the nation in other ways, Yang trained with the Roses' best combat instructors, achieving the peak of physical condition and fighting skills. As a result, the blonde was known more for her fighting skills than her ability to balance glasses on a platter. The queen didn't care that she had a girl more comfortable with guns than plates as her lady-in-waiting; in fact, the queen rather supported Yang's endeavors. It was only one of the ruler's many fascinating qualities that endeared her to the rest of the country.

"Your Majesty, do you require anything before we leave on the hunt?" Yang inquired respectfully. She knew that she could have been living a less fortunate life, if not for her father's efforts to provide for the family and the generosity of the crown. In front of the queen, Yang always pushed down her explosive nature and always sought to be worthy of her position. Few others received such deference, and as Ruby once said jokingly, Yang would be rude to the Schnees if they rubbed her the wrong way.

The queen laughed. "Yang, how many times do I need to remind you to call me 'Mom'? Just because I'm the queen and you're a 'lady-in-waiting' doesn't mean we're not related. If not by blood, then at least through STRQ," Summer smiled brilliantly, reminiscing about her adventures with her four-man unit.

Years ago, Summer was the only child of the previous Rose monarch. Taiyang was a noble who, along with the fraternal twins of the Branwen family named Raven and Qrow, formed Summer's team. They trained and hunted together, learning the ways of combat. Taiyang married Raven, a union of two of the most feared warriors in all of Vale. But for all their famous battles together, Raven fell ill after her wounds became infected after an extended period of time without medical assistance during her travels. Unable to stop her from leaving on her journey in the first place, Taiyang never stopped blaming himself for leaving his daughter without a mother. Summer, who had just shouldered the mantle of Vale before Raven's untimely death, took to Yang immediately. One thing led to another, and just two years later Yang's birth her younger half-sister Ruby came into the world. The unlikely family bonded through her arrival, and the Xiao Longs became a permanent fixture at the Valen court.

Yang sighed and conceded, dropping the formal tone. "Where's Dad? I thought he would want to come today."

"He's still off placating some nobles about shipping issues. I still don't know why Atlas is so adamant about not seeing Faunus in their country. It would definitely be worrying if the White Fang stages an armed mass uprising." A shadow passed over her face. "Even though we're allies with them, this rejection of the Faunus population is definitely trouble. And if they do, I'm not sure we can accept any Faunus refugees or prevent discrimination even within Vale's borders." Summer shook her head. "Anyways, we're going to have to postpone the hunt. The Schnees sent a diplomat with an urgent message. Who knows what it's about?"

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Yang said, "If it's the younger Schnee princess, Ruby would have a field day. After all, nobody's seen her except her parents and a few servants. It makes me wonder if she even exists."

"Oh, she exists all right. Taiyang and I caught a glimpse of her in one of the highest towers of the castle when we visited for a ball last year. You and Ruby didn't attend, but she was unmistakable. I don't know what it was, but Taiyang says it was because she looked like a ghost: ethereal and out of this world." She sighed. "Either way, you can spend your day in town. The instructors all have a day off today anyways, so don't go and stir something up, okay?"

It seemed like, with each passing year, Summer grew busier and busier. There were dignitaries to meet, policies to revise, Grimm to hunt, and even construction to oversee. Yang wasn't sure if she even slept at night considering a number of things there must have been to supervise. She bowed as the queen left.

The morning was already gone and she felt her stomach rumble. She didn't feel like traipsing into the kitchens. The last time she did that the head chef was screaming at her for something like eating half the night's dinner. Not that she wasn't to blame, but she had made a mental note to not invite her sparring partners, especially a certain rowdy and infinitely hyper one. The other "Queen of the Castle" was formidable, even without her hammer.

Yang briefly visited the stables to ready her horse for the trip. She waved off the stable hands' efforts to assist her and insisted on saddling and prepping her own mare before leaving. She knew that they were all borderline incompetent, and wanted only the best for her beloved Bumblebee. The head groom, who had just finished with some of the other horses, motioned to a bag of misshapen and lumpy carrots in the corner, too ugly for human consumption but well-liked by the horses. "Thanks, Buck," she nodded her appreciation and climbed onto Bumblebee. The mare snorted and began to trot quickly towards the city.

She wandered listlessly through the town, forgoing some of the more major streets in favor of back alleys. In the dank and shady roads, Yang dismounted from her horse and walked on foot, taking a "scenic route" to a lesser known bar. Part of her was hoping for a fight to loosen up. The other part was just hungry.

Turns out I might have a fight on my hands. Well, Summer won't object if it's just a bunch of thugs, right? Two burly men stepped out from the shadows, clearly drunk and clearly not knowing who they were messing with. After all, Vale's champion of female boxing did not lose to a duo of idiots. Neither registered the claymore on the horse or the fashionable clothes she wore, a mark of those living in the Rose Palace. Instead, the focused only on her exposed cleavage.

"Hey, boys," her voice dangerously sweet. They tottered closer, hoping to get some action. She happily obliged. "My eyes are up here," and she promptly punched the closer one in the stomach. A flurry of blows later, and both were on the floor, gasping for breath. Yang left them there, hoping they would learn from their defeat and stop trying to hit up girls while drunk. Although if every man in Remnant was completely rational, she wouldn't have fights, now would she?

Her desire for a fight waned, and Yang continued on. She eventually arrived at a small, lesser-known bar, aptly named the Crow Bar. She knew the owner, and was always drawn back to the place simply because, unlike many other people, appreciated the wittiness of puns. After leaving her horse in the back, Yang stepped in and noticed that it was mostly empty but for a few patrons scattered at the tables and a single person at the barstools.

The bartender didn't even look up. "The usual?" Yang laughed. "What was that again, Junior?"

This time the tux-clad man deigned to glance at her and continued to clean some glasses. He sighed. "Would you like the usual, Blondie sir?"

"Yeah that's fine," she said and slumped carelessly into a barstool a few down from the stranger in a cloak. Yang glanced at him or her curiously, then decided she didn't need to pry. Contrary to how she usually acted, she did know when somebody didn't want to be talked to. Instead she turned to Hei Xiong. "Anyways, have you heard of anything interesting recently?" He shook his head. "No upcoming street fights or gang showdowns?" Again he shook his head. "Nothing? Seriously, Junior?" At this point he got tired of answering her questions. "If I didn't know better, Blondie sir, I'd say you're just looking for trouble for no reason. I know why you're doing this, but trust me when I say that there is nothing going on. If there is, you'll be the first to know." He gripped the glass he was holding so hard his knuckles turned white. "But I do hear that the White Fang may be trying something in Atlas. Keep an ear out in the Palace and don't trust any Faunus from Atlas. You never know."

Beside her, the cloaked figure suddenly pushed away an empty glass and sat in silence, fingers gripping the edge of the counter in a vise grip. Hei Xiong refilled the cup with a clear white liquid from an unmarked bottle.

In almost slow motion, the door burst open and a stocky man stood framed by the doorway. He wielded a giant mace and was outfitted with silver armor adorned with a symbol of a bird on the breastplate. "Yang Xiao Long! I have come to challenge you in a duel and I shall make up for my previous humiliation and repay you with defeat. Prepare yourself!" he bellowed. Unfortunately, Yang was acquainted with the buffoon. She'd beat him in all their previous matches during the Vale National competitions and during spars at the castle. She thought he'd learn by now, but it seemed like the bitterness of previous bouts paired with the influence of alcohol, as evidenced by rosy cheeks and a swaying gait, was too much for Cardin's oversized ego to bear. She could take him any day, drunk or sober.

Except he didn't just come with his customary mace. From his other hand, Cardin pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and began peppering the bar with his shots while laughing manically. Both Yang and the unknown stranger dodged and took cover behind the bar where Hei Xiong had already sought refuge. His gruff voice was barely audible over the bangs of the gun.

"Not again, Blondie!" he yelled. "Why is it that every time you walk in something crazy happens?!"

"I don't know what you mean, Junior! It's not like I'm looking for them. The damage isn't all that much. Mind if I take him out?" she neglected to mention that her first match with Cardin, which she requested after hearing how arrogant he was, basically consisted of her insulting her hair and fighting skills before she went berserk mode and broke several bones.

"Fine but if I lose my job I'm coming after you, Blondie," he growled. Hei Xiong dove to save a falling glass that had miraculously stayed intact.

"I'm the one who landed you that job, remember?" she paused. "And that's Sir to you, Junior." With that, Yang dove over the counter and began to take on Cardin mercilessly. With her extraordinary Aura, Yang ignored her screaming instincts and walked towards Cardin, bullets falling to the floor harmlessly. Seeing her come too close for his liking, Mr. Arrogant tossed his gun to the side and readied his stance with his mace.

Not to say that Yang wiped the floor with him, but essentially Cardin was defeated in approximately two seconds. Within that time, Yang had blocked a wide swing with a gauntlet, returned an uppercut and a roundhouse, and threw him bodily into an empty wall. To Hei Xiong's relief, none of the glasses that were still on the shelves fell or broke.

The man on the floor groaned, but Yang ignored him. "Good enough for you, Junior? I didn't break too many glasses or bottles this time." She beamed at Hei Xiong, and he sighed. "I'll tell the boss that it wasn't your fault this time, alright? God knows there are way too many fights that break out here," he grumbled.

The stranger had also recovered, and was about to settle back in his or her seat when Cardin gave a sudden yell and lunged for the cloaked figure. He held the figure with a chokehold and had pointed a concealed knife at the neck area.

"I'm warning you, Yang, I will defeat you! I don't want to her this guy, so take off your gauntlets. I'll be leaving, so don't try any funny business," he started rambling incoherently.

To be quite honest, Yang had never come across a situation where she had to take a hostage into account. Regardless of whether he was drunk or not, Cardin had to be held responsible. She sighed. "My fault for not knocking you out." Yang made a show of removing her gauntlets and setting them on the bar. She moved away slowly, raising her arms in mock submission as she slowly approached. Cardin would not know what hit him. Cocky bastard won't be laughing after this, she grinned evilly.

Yang wasn't quite sure what happened first: her bare fist striking Cardin's face and knocking him out after hitting the wall yet again, or the stranger disappearing from his arms and leaving the concealing cloak still in his grasp. Instead, a beautiful girl her own age with raven hair and striking amber eyes was crouching beside her ready to draw her weapon. A simple bow was perched on her head. Of the three still-conscious people in the establishment, only Hei Xiong seemed the least surprised. The pair gaped at each other for several seconds.

Hei Xiong set down two glasses filled with liquid, breaking the awkward silence, and moved to the back so the duo could converse without him eavesdropping, as well as presumably contacting whoever usually restored the bar after fights. Yang gestured to the drinks. "Shall we?" In response, the other girl dipped her head and they advanced towards their alcohol.

Yang sipped at her whiskey, contrary to her usual attempts to down an entire draught at once. Needless to say, she did not want to appear uncultured before her present company. Without even having to look at her, Yang could tell that she was not weak. The other girl would easily be overlooked in a crowd, but at the same time exuded an air of quiet confidence that spoke of tamed ferocity. Yang did her best not to scratch her arm as she felt a sudden chill pass over her skin.

Her silent companion finally turned to face Yang. "I'm Blake. Blake Belladonna," she said simply. The name suited her, from black's dominance in her clothing to the subtle beauty of her demeanor. Wait, what am I thinking?! Yang laughed nervously.

"The name's Yang Xiao Long. Pleasure to meet you. Where d'ya come from?" Crap, I almost stuttered! Haven't done that for years now.

"The pleasure is mine. I used to live in Atlas, but it's getting… a little too chaotic back where I lived." Blake took a sip of her clear liquid and avoided looking at Yang's eyes.

The blonde noticed, but decided not to comment. "I see, I see. So, where are you living now, if you don't mind me asking?"

It was more than odd. Yang was inexplicably drawn to this girl she'd never met before the moment their eyes met. Blake could be a valuable asset to the castle's forces, she reasoned. It wasn't like she had any other motives. Right? Yang cleared her throat as there was a slightly drawn out lull in their conversation. She sipped at her whiskey again to avoid staring. It was the exact same shade as Blake's eyes.

"Nowhere, actually. I've been hanging out in the forest for a few months until I could pick up some work."

Yang choked on her meager mouthful of alcohol. "Are you serious? With your skills, from what I've seen, you could be a palace guard or something on that level. How come you haven't been hired?"

Blake blinked slowly, and Yang, completely mesmerized by the action, found it hard to rip her eyes away. "I tried asking the guards there, but the man I asked brushed me off and said they couldn't possibly hire anyone without a background. In fact, he told me to participate in next year's apprentice selections if I wanted the position so much, if I was that desperate." She seemed slightly downcast, but as far as Yang could tell, Blake's facial expression had barely changed.

Yang's eyes widened. "Looks like it's your lucky day, then! I actually live in the castle, so you can just live in my room. It's not like anyone cares."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah!"

 

**So this is just the first of the characters' introductory chapters, but this one is the longest. Don't expect any of this length for a while. Yang is slightly OOC, but she's also a lady-in-waiting, and as such doesn't want to embarrass Summer by not having any tact. And with this, B and Y of team RWBY has been introduced! More to come -Ferr**


End file.
